more ideas on my wish list:
get rid of the unrealistic:
Ridiculus mismatches, 3 panzers vs 10 longbow, longbow win because I havent got enough attacks left!
Unrealistic trading costs, sheep for 253/turn because thats my "profit" this turn, next turn, sheep costs 1/turn, cos thats my profit! I would like to see a world exchange rate sytem, more later.
No knowledge of other countries. Just because my Civ hasnt expored a country, that shouldn't mean I have no knowledge of where it is, and what cities are in it and their size (without using worldbuilder!). The change I would like to see here is some sort of base knowledge of the world and other countries and thier civilisation statistics. In earlier times a certian civs idea of the world could be grossly distorted, including bits of the map where it saiys, "edge of the world", "here be dragons", "Shangra-la", "streets of gold" etc. But as time goes on, the civs knowledge of the world (both its mapping, resources and information) granularizes to be more and more accurate.
Added to this is also knowing what wonders are in what city!
I also think it is highly unrealistic that a nation would allow two other nations to engage in combat on their soil without them being directly involved in the combat.
combat units should naturally improve with time, degrade or be deleted or become ceremonial units and create culture.
Some concepts I would like to modify/introduce:
Religion!
I know it exists in the game, but it treated like a commodity/tech. Where is the passion!? Anyone been at war with another civ purely on religious grounds? It is very rare. But look at history. There should be a natural affinity between nations of the same religion, and therefore a natural resentment/fear/distrust against nations of a dissimiliar religion, civic dependant. How about being forced to go to war against another nation because the holy leader says so? Punishment if non-compliant, like the others go to war against you for herasy? or every city you have must sacrifice 1 pop to show commitment!. Rewarded if successful, somehow, perhaps with a better chance of contolling the whole religion, like having "your" man become the pope/head figure. Added to having to do or achieve certain standards(explore x amount of jungle to convert natives for example)/requirements (commit x amounts of units/money to a far away war). Random religious effects, like pop reduction due to inquision, volcano eruption (god appeasment)etc.
Civil anger/outrage
I would like to have a system where there is accountability for actions. The concioussness(?) of the population. Attacking a nation for no reason, because it was weak? may not have the support of the ppl, but attacking a nation because of recent terrorist attacks may have popular support. This would also be a global thing, the world may not like a particular nation due to its civic and therefore will support actions against them, remember aparteid? Sort of Just and Unjust wars. see where Iam going here?
Personalities:
I think that when a city and an army is created there should be a choice of say 3 or 4 "leader" personalities that you put in charge of it. These should have their own minor traits and influences that can affect that city/army. They may be ruthless and hated but their cities effecient, they may be of a major ethnic/religion of that city, therefore have the support of the city, but my be tempted to join another sympathetic nation, leaders of Armies my abe tactically brilliant, hot headed or over cautious. These leaders can be replaced, but there would be a limited pool and contantly replaceing people in positions of power will loose you trust and confidence from the population as a whole.
Exchange Index.
I would like to have a world commodity system based on resource availability, so there would be a world price for sheep, but if you want to buy at over the price, more chance of success. Also a world "market" at latter ages, so it would be worth a city to just produce food and could then buy" labour in to finish buildings etc.
Which sort of brings me to the next point of caravans, why were they deleted? I think they represented migrant workers.
Tech Improvements:
Tech improvements should be easier to discover the more other nations have discovered them. Scientist talk, concepts and achievement knowledge migrate with the natural flow of people. This way the whole worlds nations are basically at the same tech level, there arnt many instances of great nations being massively technologically behind others, and when they were, when subjected to that techology easily caught up, once you see a railway work, you dont have to think up the basics, you have seen it work.
Technical/practical wonders that overcome natural obsticles. Such as massive tunnels under seas and mountains and bridges over gorges and seas.
a bit of common sense in the tech tree, for instance, you cant create railways if you havent got access to coal, even if you discover electricity.
Production costs:
This has sort of been said. A city can have the ability to specialise in production. I find it hard to accept that a city can create a succession of Modern Armour at a certain price and time, and then produce a stealth bomber at the "base" price and timescale. I think to make something for the first time, it should cost a lot of money and time for each city, becoming cheaper and easier as time goes on, afterall another 747 being built at Seattle is easy, but one built in Rome!!
Unit Improvements over time:
It has been mentioned that there should be all types of weapons, B17,B19,B29,B52 etc. I diagree this, but see the concept. A bomber built in 1992 is gonna be better than one built in 1942, so I would like to see a natural but small increase in firepower/capability with time.
This brings me onto another improvement in concepts.
Money!
The money system is too simplistc. There should be more money, and the economy of the nation should be more complex, GDP split on defence (gradual improvements? upkeep?) Culture (I like culture, it shows civil improvements which should be tied in with tourism, another concept i like), Employment, Police (lawfulness), Research, Trade, any other offers?
Explorers.
It was aid somewhere, what is the point of them? I agree, so scouts and explorers should have open borders, shouls also be able to travel across seas and oceans, (civil transport) and ice. To me they should represent real explorers and scientists. Therefore they should get "points" for where they are; Int the jungle, get more research points for medicine and cultural points for explorers creating city, representing the discovery/recording of plants and animals. On the sea, research for nautical techs, and perhaps the discovery of suitable sea squares that can be exploited and cultural points for discovery/recording of nature. On the ice for culture points, and perhaps the "inspiration" for more explorers. In the mountains for culture and... get my drift? I think the more they stay on one square the bigger the chance of discovering something. There sould always be a chance of death, exploring is a dangerous job!
Diseases, been said before- brilliant idea.
And I think that there should be natural disaster, volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes etc, This could get more fantastical if the player wants with Invasion from Mars, "Cloverfield", Day of the Living Dead, Devils demons and other fantastical beings. If you want them.
With storage not being a problem on most computers nowadays, colonisation of near space and the moon, they are is just another country with a very expensive ferry system.
And I heartily support a better AI diplomatic engine. Spies being better, like being able to support insurgency, or an insurgent unit? Anbd the possibility of "brush fire wars" something that happens on the borders of natuions that just start where there are differences that the nations have to control, either with troops, money or other nations as peacekeepers, or just war!
Well there you go, comments?